Tobacco-Free College

As of Monday, Aug. 26, 2013, tobacco use is prohibited on all Hudson Valley Community College grounds, college-owned or leased properties, and in campus-owned leased, or rented vehicles. This includes any buildings or grounds that are located off campus.

The policy, which was ratified by the college's Board of Trustees in 2013, aims to provide a safe and healthy working and learning environment for our students.

The SUNY Board of Trustees has passed a resolution that all 64 SUNY campuses become tobacco-free.

Tobacco is defined as all tobacco-derived or containing products, including and not limited to, cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, cigars and cigarillos, hookah smoked products, pipes, and oral tobacco (smokeless, chew, snuff). It also includes any product intended to mimic tobacco products or contain tobacco flavoring.

Hudson Valley has implemented its tobacco-free campus policy to provide a safe and healthy working and learning environment and to maintain clean and appealing facilities.

The preponderance of research and scientific evidence indicate that tobacco use, smoking and exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke are significant health hazards. Under the Environmental Protection Agency Guidelines, secondhand smoke is a Group A carcinogen (cancer-causing agent), known to cause heart disease, cancer, respiratory issues and irritation of the eyes and nose.

The success of this policy depends upon the thoughtfulness, consideration, and cooperation of tobacco users and non-tobacco users. All members of the college community are responsible for respectfully communicating the policy to faculty, staff, students and visitors.

Faculty, staff, students and visitors who observe individuals using tobacco on college property are encouraged and empowered to respectfully explain that its use is prohibited or to address violation of the policy through the Public Safety Department or the Human Resources Department.

If necessary, the college reserves the right to initiate a disciplinary process against any individual found to be in violation of this policy.

Tobacco-Free Campus Policy FAQs

When did the Tobacco-Free Campus policy start?
Monday, Aug. 26, 2013

Whom does this policy affect?
Faculty, staff, students, contractors, vendors, and visitors and all others must abide by the policy.

Does this policy apply to all tobacco, cigars, pipes, even chewing/spit tobacco?
Yes. All forms of tobacco use and smoking products are affected in this policy.

How will the Tobacco-Free Campus policy be implemented and enforced?
Our primary goal is to achieve voluntary compliance with the tobacco-free policy by educating the college community about this policy. We also will provide smoking cessation assistance to faculty, staff, and students who wish to stop smoking. All members of the college community are responsible for respectfully communicating the policy to faculty, staff, students, and visitors. Faculty, staff, students, and visitors who observe individuals using tobacco on college property are encouraged and empowered to respectfully explain that its use is prohibited or to address violation of the policy through the Public Safety Department or the Human Resources Department.

What repercussions will I face if I am caught smoking on campus?
Violations will be handled through the respective disciplinary processes for student and faculty/staff. Visitors who violate the policy will be informed that Hudson Valley is a tobacco-free campus. Those visitors who continue to violate the policy following a warning may be escorted off campus.

Can I smoke inside my vehicle if it is parked in a college lot? Are there designated smoking areas on campus?
No. Hudson Valley is a tobacco-free campus. Smoking areas/shelters are not designated anywhere on campus grounds.

Is Joseph L. Bruno Stadium included in the tobacco-free campus policy?
Yes. "The Joe" is a smoke-free facility.

Are other Capital Region colleges and universities smoke-free?
Yes, many are. Additionally, the SUNY board of trustees has approved a tobacco-free policy that endorses a ban on tobacco use on all 64 state university campuses.

Tobacco Cessation Support Resources

Tobacco-Free Campus Policy

WHEREAS, on June 12, 2012, the State University of New York (SUNY) Board of Trustees approved a resolution in support of SUNY's effort known as "Tobacco-Free SUNY," which will require a 100 percent tobacco-free campus environment to include all campus buildings, parking ramps and facilities and off- campus facilities, and

WHEREAS, the SUNY Board of Trustees further expressed its support of State legislation mandating that all SUNY campuses become 100 percent tobacco free by no later than January 1, 2014; and

WHEREAS, Hudson Valley Community College has determined that it is in the best interests of the campus community to enforce the SUNY resolution to support a "Tobacco-Free SUNY," therefore be it

RESOLVED, that Hudson Valley Community College will become Tobacco Free commencing the first day of the Fall 2013 semester, and that the use of all tobacco products or similar devices such as pipes, cigars or cigarettes or personal vaporizers on campus, grounds, in campus facilities, college owned vehicles and in all vehicles on campus shall be prohibited; and be it further

RESOLVED, that the definition of "College premises" shall be all buildings, grounds or vehicles owned, leased, operated, controlled or supervised by the College including any buildings or grounds that are located off campus; and be it further

RESOLVED, that the Code of Conduct shall be modified so that Article 5.2.16 of the Code of Conduct shall state as follows:

"Chewing tobacco or using any product or similar product or device such as pipes, cigars or cigarettes or personal vaporizers is prohibited on the College Premises and in vehicles on campus," and

Article 5.2.24(b) shall read "Tobacco-free policy," and be it further

RESOLVED, that all college publications, including but not limited to the College Catalog, Student Handbook, and website shall reflect this policy as of the first day of the Fall 2013 semester.

Approved, March 26, 2013
Hudson Valley Community College Board of Trustees